"Excellent Victorian romantic suspense"
In 1852 London, Robert Hawthorne escapes from Pentonville
Prison where his younger twin John sent him for eight
years. When Warder Matthews arrives to inform the lord of
his sibling's escape Robert hands over the real John to be
imprisoned until he can figure out what to do with him. Robert's plan to ease back into society collapse
immediately when he learns he will marry Victoria "Torie"
Lambert in the morning. As he tries to bluff what and
whom he has known for the last eight years, he falls in
love with Torie, but believes she cherishes the charmed
John who impersonated him. As much as he wants her, he
must not touch her because she belongs to someone else
even if that person stole almost a decade of his life. Victorian romantic suspense fans will be reminded of The
Man in the Iron Mask though Lorraine Heath spends more
time on Robert's struggles to hide that he replaced his
twin who previously replaced him. The story line is
character driven as Robert tries to recover from what he
lost and falls in love with his wife. Torie realizes that
the man she married is so different than the lord who
courted her, but cannot fathom why. It is interesting how
both twins when they drive pass Pentonville must stop and
gaze in horror of what they and readers know of who is
there and the shocking prison conditions. Lorraine Heath
provides a fabulous rendition of the Dumas' classic. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted September 15, 2005
SummaryHe was determined to reclaim all that had been stolen from
him, but he hadn't expected to find himself with a wife who
should have never been his.
Unable to understand why her new husband was not as
attentive as he should be, she was determined to become a
temptation he could no longer resist.
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